Alviro Petersen: Match-winning innings for Somerset and South Africa batsman

Somerset continued their 100% start to the Friends Life t20 season with a six-wicket win over Northamptonshire at Taunton.

Alviro Petersen's sensational unbeaten 64 was enough to see Somerset past their target of 153 for victory with seven balls to spare.

Only David Willey was really able to manage to get to grips with conditions in the Steelbacks innings, his 47 coming off only 29 balls and including two of only three sixes they managed.

He put on 54 with Matthew Spriegel (22) but the only other fireworks came from Ben Duckett - the teenage wicketkeeper's 15 not out off six balls coming too late in their innings to make that much of a difference.

Alfonso Thomas subdued Northants early in their innings with the key wicket of Richard Levi (8) and he returned to grab two more wickets late on to return figures of 3-33.

Somerset's reply began badly with skipper Marcus Trescothick caught by former team-mate Cameron White without troubling the scorer - that man Willey weighing in with the wicket.

He also accounted for Craig Kieswetter (19) and ran out James Hildreth for two but by the time that fourth wicket fell Somerset were all but home.

And that was thanks in the main to Petersen and Peter Trego, who played a more scratchy innings than usual in contributing 41 at just under a run-a-ball.

Once he departed Petersen ran the show, providing the bit of acceleration Somerset needed and then crashing three fours off what proved to be the last over from Azharullah that cost the Pakistan seamer 19 runs.

The defeat was Northants' first in the competition this season and leaves them on four points alongside Somerset in the Midlands/Wales/West Division, two behind unbeaten leaders Glamorgan.